Drier



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April 3, 1945. c. E. MORGENSTERBI DRIER 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledSept. 12

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Patented Apr. 3, 1945 DRIER Charles E. Morgenstern, St. Joseph, Mlch.,as-

signor to Nineteen Hundred Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporationof New York Application September 12, 1941, Serial No. 410,515

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a drier, and more particularly, to a clothesdrier of the rotating drum or tumbler type and having heating and aircirculating means associated therewith,

In order to facilitate the drying of clothes and particularly clotheswhich have been washed by the so-called home laundry" washing machine,it is desirable not only to remove the surplus water from the clothessuch as may be done by a centrifugal extractor, but it is also desirableto further dry the clothes by circulating warm air thereoyer andtherethrough. One of the features of the present invention is to providea drying machine which includes a rotating drum which gently tumbles theclothes through a circulating stream of warm air.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel dryingmechanism having the above referred to characteristics.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drier having arotating drum in which the articles to be dried are tumbled, and passinga stream of warm air through the drum while the articles are beingtumbled therein.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clothes drierof the rotating drum type in which the peripheral surface of the drum isheated and in which air is circulated axially through the drum.

Another and still further object of the present invention is to providea novel method and means for drying clothes and other articles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide noveldriving mechanism for a rotating drum clothes drier.

Still another and further object of the present invention is to providea novel means for heating and drying clothes and other articles.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims, My inventionitself, however, both as to its organization, manner of construction,and method of operation, together with further objects and advantagesthereof, may best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a clothes drier incorporating the novelfeatures of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the drier taken on a planepassing from the front to the rear of the machine through the centerthereof as taken along the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an irregular sectional view of the Figure 4 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional view of one of the ribs in the rotating drum;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the door inthe front of the machine;

I Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a, modified formof drier; and,

Figure 7 is a rear vertical sectional view taken immediately inside therear of the casing or shroud and looking toward the operating mechanism.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, which illustrate apreferred embodiment of the present invention, there is illustratedtherein a rotary drum drier I having a shroud or casing II whichencloses the operating parts of the mechanism. As may be seen best inFigure 1, the shroud or casing II has a sloping upper front wall portionI2 which is provided with a series of louvres l3 which extend not onlyover the greater portion of the sloping wall l2 but also extend downinto the lower vertically extending wall portion M. A clothes door I isprovided in the sloping wall portion l2 and the central portion of thisdoor is also provided with a series of louvres I6 through which air maycirculate. As may be seen best in Figures 2 and 3 the bottom of thedrier I0 is closed off by a base plate H which has a short upstandingwall flange I8 and an outer lip portion IS. The side walls of the casingor shroud II are provided along their lower edge with a complementarylip formation 2| which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to thelip portion IQ of the base H.

The rear of the casing or shroud II is provided with a rear panel Illhaving louvres I42 therein to permit the free influx of air in a mannerpresently to be described. The top of the casing or shroud II isprovided with a top wall portion or cover plate 22. An inturned flange23 is provided on the top wall portion 22 and is arranged to be seatedon a complementary inturned flange 24 on the side walls 20 and on thecomplementary inturned flange 25 formed on the sloping front wallportion l2,

Rotatably mounted within the housing or shroud H is a drum 26 which isarranged to receive and gently tumble the clothes as they are beingdried. The drum 26 includes a cylindrical metal shell 21 having radiallyoutwardly turned flanges 28 and 29 at either end. The shell 21 is madeof a solid, imperforate piece of metal in contrast to the usual wiremesh screen heretofore employed. This has been found to prevent drier astaken along the line III-III f Figure 2; accumulation of lint which isalways present in perforated cylindrical drums. A drum end or conicalshell portion is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the front endof the cylindrical shell 21. a radially outwardly turned flange portion3| being provided for cooperation with the flange 28 on the shell 21.The drum end 30 has a large central aperture 32 which is defined by aforwardly turned flange 33. A portion of the conical drum end 30adjacent the forwardly turned flange 33 is perforated as at 34 to permitfree circulation of air therethrough, as well as through the centralopening 32.

The rear end of the drum 26 is provided with an end ring plate 35 whichis in the form of a flat annulus which is welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the radially outwardly turned flange 29 on the cylindricalshell 21. The opening which is left by the annulus 35 is covered by awire screen 36 which is retained in place by an angle ring 31. The drum26 is carried on a rigid spider 38 which has three legs 39, which areriveted or otherwise suitably secured to the annulus 35. The spider 38has a central hub portion 40. Although this spider 38 may be formed in awide variety of manners without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention, it is preferably formed of a plurality of parts,the hub portion 40 being one part and the radiating arms 39 being aseparate and additional part. In such event, the central hub portion isprovided with short stub arms 4| to which the long arms 39 are securedin any suitable manner.

The drum 26 is rotatably mounted on a short shaft 42 which in turn iscarried in two spaced bearing members 43 and 44. The bearings 43 and .44are carried on two pedestals and 46, respectively. As is clearly shownin Figure 3, the bearing 44 is bolted to the pedestal 46 a at 41. Thebearing 43 is similarly secured to its pedestal 45.

As an inspection of Figure 2 will clearly show, the shaft 42 is mountedat an angle to the base and more particularly is mounted along an axisperpendicular to the inclined front wall portion l2. To this end, thepedestals 45 and 46 are mounted on a pair of inclined ribs 48 which areu-shaped in cross section a shown in Figure 3, and which are riveted tothe base plate H as at 49. It will, of course, be understood that thehub 40 is press-fitted or otherwise secured to the shaft 42 for rotationtherewith and accordingly the drum 26 is arranged to be driven by t eshaft 42 when the latter is positively rotated. Mounted on the shaft 42between the bearings 43 and 44 is a propeller or fan 58. The propelleror fan 50 includes a plurality of blades 5| which are carried on apropeller hub 52. The hub 52 includes a pair of cylindrical centralbearing sleeves 53 which permit independent rotation of the propeller orfan 50 on the shaft 42. That is to say, the propeller 58 is free torotate or move at a different speed than the shaft 42. As will presentlybe brought out, the propeller 56 is arranged to be rotated at a muchhigher speed than the speed of rotation of the drum 26.

The driving mechanism for both the drum 28 and the propeller 50 is anelectric motor 54 which is mounted on the base H with its drive shaft 55disposed parallel to the driven shaft 42, which carries the drum 26. AU-shaped bracket 56 is mounted on a sub-base 51 and provides thenecessary support and mounting for the motor. A flexible drivingconnection is provided between the driving member and the driven parts.More 64, and the hub 52 of the propeller 50.

specifically, the driving connection comprises a plurality of sheaves orpulleys and a flexible endless belt connection I The direct drive to thefan or propeller will be described first. The motor drive shaft 55 isprovided with a sheave 58. The hub 52 of the propeller 50 is providedwith a peripheral V-shaped groove 59. An idler sheave 60 is mounted onthe hub 6|, which in turn is rotatably mounted on a stub-shaft 62. Ajournal bearing is provided by a bearing sleeve 63, which extendsthrough the bore of the hub 6|. The shaft 62 is rigidly carried on atake-up slide 64 which is freely mounted in a take-up slide guide 65.The take-up slide guide provides an enlarged passageway for the take-upslide which enables free movement of the take-up slide in all directionslying in the plane of the slide (that is, in a plane perpendicular tothe axis of the shaft 62). A helical spring 66 is secured at one end tothe lower stationary frame as at 61 and at the upper end to a finger 68.This in effect tends to pull the upper left corner of the take-up slide(as viewed from the rear) away from the motor 54 and downwardly towardthe base I! of thecasing. An endless belt 69, having a generallyV-shaped cross section, extends around the sheave 56 on the motor 54,the idler sheave 60, which is freely mounted on the stub-shaft 62carried by the take-up slide The spring 66 maintains the endless belt 69taut at all times and thereby enables the motor 54 to directly drive thepropeller 50.

A reduced speed drive from the motor 54 to the drum 26 is provided bymounting a large sheave I0 rigidly on shaft 42 and by providing aV-shaped peripheral groove ll in the hub 6| which carries the sheave 60.An endless belt 12 extends around the large sheave l0 and the grooveportion H of the hub 6|, as is clearly shown in the drawings. By virtueof the downward pull of the balancing spring 66 on the takeup slide 64the stub-shaft 62 which carries the hub 6| is urged downwardly tomaintain the endless belt l2 taut at all times. Due to the fact that thelarge sheave Ill is many times the diameter of the grooved hub portionII it will at once be understood that a reduced speed drive is providedfor the drum 26.

The take-up slide and the manner in which it tensions two endless beltsin different directions is one of the important novel features of thepresent invention.

Means for heating the drum 26 and for heating the air forcedtherethrough is provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention byan electric element 13 which is in the form of a band extending aroundthe outer peripheral surface of the metal drum 26. A band of insulatingmaterial 14 extends around the drum over the heating element 13. Theassembly is completed by a steel clamp band 15 which extends around theinsulation 14 and clamps both the insulation and the electric heatingelement 13 to the drum 25.

Mounted on the rear of the drum frame are a pair of commutator rings 16and 11. The opposite ends of the heating element I3 are electricallyconnected to the outer and inner slip rings 16 and 17 by conductors I8and '19, which extend across the outer surface of the drum 26 to therear end thereof (not shown) and then down one of the channel shapedarms 39. The slip rings 16 and H are engaged by a pair of contactfingers (only one of which is shown). which are in turn connected to asuitable source of electric power for heating the heating element I3.

In order to prevent heat losses on the exterior side of the drum 28, theouter peripheral surface of the drum is covered with an insulatingmaterial 8|, such as shredded asbestos, rock wool, or the like, which isheld in place by a pair of steel bands 82.

In order to prevent the clothes which are placed in the rotating drum 28from becoming wadded up or bunched, a plurality of ribs 83 are providedon the inner surface of the drum 28. These ribs extend parallel to theaxis of rotation of the drum and project radially inwardly from theinner surface of the drum 28. The ribs 83 are preferably formed of sheetmetal stock which is folded in the manner as is clearly shown in Figure4. More particularly, the sheet metal stock is folded in such a manneras to provide spaced side wall portions 84, a rounded inner end 88 andoverlapping marginal portions 88. The overlapping marginal portions areriveted to the peripheral wall 21 of the drum 28 as at 81. A clip 88 isprovided at each end of each of the ribs 83 which firmly hold the ribs83 in place. The clip 88 is of U- shape and has a central portion 88which is riveted to the ends of the drum as at 30. The legs of theU-shaped clip 88 are riveted to the side walls 84 of the rib 83 as atIll.

The clothes door I in the sloping front wall I2 which affords access tothe interior of the rotating drum 26 is hingedly mounted on the shroudor casing H as at 92. Two hinges are preferably provided along onevertical edge of the door II. A pair of rubber bumpers 03 are providedat the opposite side of the door which abut against the sloping frontwall I2 of the shroud H. While a lock or fastening means may be providedfor the door if desired, preferably no latch or other locking mechanismis employed. It has been found that the door will be maintained closedunder all normal operating conditions due to the, fact that the frontwall portion on which the door is mounted is sloping, and the door isconsequently held in its closed position by gravity. If there is anystoppage or restriction of air flow for any reason whatsoever, or ifsome unusual condition tries to force the clothes out of the drum theywill open the door automatically and thus avoid serious damage to themachine.

The machine performs its drying operation on any laundered clothes orthe like in the following manner:

The clothes are placed in the drum 28 after the heating element I3 hasbeen energized for a suflicient length of time to raise the temperaturewithin the drum 28. The motor 54 is then connected which causes the drum28 to rotate at relatively slow speed while simultaneously it causes thepropeller 50 to rotate at high speed. The rotation of the drum 28 causesa gentle tumbling action of the clothes contained therein.

Due to the relativel high velocity air stream passing axially throughthe drum there is a tendency for the clothes to be fluifed or billowedout as they fall from a point near the top of the drum. The air passingaxially through the drum is heated due to the fact that the peripheralsurface 21 of the drum 28 has been heated by the electric heatingelement 13. This warm stream of air dries the clothes within the drum.It has been found that due to the tumbling action of the clothes none oftheclothes remain in continuous contact with the inner surface of thedrum 28, and for that reason there is no danger of burning or scorchingany of the clothes contained therein. After the clothes have been dried,the motor 84 is deenergized and after the door I8 has been opened theclothes are removed.

In Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, I have illustrated a diflerentembodiment of the present invention. The principal differences betweenthis embodiment of the present invention and that illustrated in Figures1 to 5, inclusive, are the manner in which the air stream is heated andthe manner in which the drum is rotated.

The drying mechanism of the second embodiment of the present inventionis contained within a housing or shroud I00 which includes side wallsIN, a front wall I02, a top plate I03, and a bottom plate or base I04.The front wall I02 is equipped with a door I05 which is hingedly mountedin any suitable manner (not shown) to the front wall I02. A clothesreceiving drum I08 is rotatably mounted within the housing I00 forrotation about a horizontal axis. More specifically, the drum I08 issupported on two pairs of flanged wheels I01 and I08 which are mountedon rotatable shafts I03 and I I0, respectively. The flanged portion ofthe wheels I01 and I08 constrain the drum I08 and keep it from moving inan axial direction. The location of the wheels I01 and I08 themselveskeeps the drum I08 from moving transversely of the axis of rotation ofthe drum I08. As will be seen from the above explanation, a floatingsupport for the drum I08 is provided.

The shafts I08 and H0 are rotatably carried in bearings III and II2which are carried on suitable pedestals H3 and H4. It will, of course,be understood that a set of bearings III and II2 and associatedpedestals H3 and Ill are provided for each of the shafts. The wheels I01and I08 are rigidly mounted on their respective shafts I08 and II 0 andare accordingly arranged to be driven thereby. Each shaft I08 and H0overhangs and extends beyond its rear bearing II2 and has mountedthereon a sheave H5 and I I8, respectively,

A stationary spider frame In is mounted to the rear of the drum I08. Thespider II! includes a circular band H8 and a plurality of radiallyextending arms II9 which are connected at their inner ends to a secondcircular band I20. The outer circular band I I8 is welded or otherwisesuitably secured to a structural frame member I2I which in turn ismounted on a pair of channel members I22. As an inspection of Figure 6will clearly show, the outer ring II 8 is of much greater width than thewidth of the arms II! or the width of the inner circular band I 20.

An electric motor I23 is mounted within the inner circular band I 20 ofthe spider II! and is fully and completely supported thereby. The driveshaft I24 of the motor I23 is provided with a sheave I25 of relativelysmall diameter as compared with the diameters of the sheaves H5 and H8.An endless belt I28 extends around the motor sheave I 25 and the largesheaves IIS and H8. Rotation of the motor drive shaft I24 thereby causesrotation of the drum supporting shafts I09 and H0 which in turn throughthe wheels I01 and I 08 cause rotation of the drum I08. The belt I28 istensioned by an idling sheave I21 which is carried on a pivotallymounted arm I28. The weight of the arm I28 and the sheave I21 cause theendless belt I28 to be tensioned in a manner well known to those skilledin the art. The gravity action of the arm I28 and the sheave I21 may, ifdesired, be supplemented by spring biasing means.

Means for circulating air through the drum I06 is provided for by apropeller I29 which is tightly secured to the motor drive shaft I24which also extends out the front end of the motor. It will -thus beunderstood that the propeller I29 rotates at the same speed as themotor.

Means for heating the air stream is provided for by a heating spider I30which is secured by angle brackets I3I to the inner circular band I20 ofthe stationary spider frame In. The spider I30 is heated by an electricheating element I32 which extends around the outer peripheral surface ofthe spider I30. The electrical heating element I32 is clamped in placeby a steel band I33 the ends of which are held together by a bolt I34.The spider or grid I30 is formed of iron or other suitable heatconducting metal, such that air passing therethrough and thereover willbe heated thereby. The grid or spider I30 is, of course, directly heatedby the electric heating element I32. While no electrical connections areshown for the electric heating element I32, it will, of course, beunderstood that this heating element is arranged to be connected to asuitable source of electrical energy.

The rotatable drum I06, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention,is provided with a plurality of ribs I 35. In this particular embodimentof the invention four ribs are intended to be employed within therotating drum I06, but it is of course to be understood that any numbermay be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. These ribs I35 may be secured to the end plates orrings I36 and I31 of the drum I06 in the same manner as that describedin connection with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Anannular ring I38 is provided on the drum I06 at the front end. Theannular region between the ring I30 and the annular wall portion I36 iscovered by a screen I39 a circular angle iron I40 being provided toclamp the screen I39 to the annular wall portion I36.

In order to dry clothes shown in the unit in Figures 6 and '7, the doorI is opened and the clothes inserted in the rotatable drum I06. Theheating element I32 is energized which causes the spider or grid I30 tobecome hot. Since the propeller I29 and the grid I30 are both within theinterior of the outer annular ring or cylindrical shell II 8, it will beobserved that air is sucked over the heating element and then impelledaxially through the rotatable drum I06. Energization of the motor I23rotates the propeller I29 at high speed and rotates the drum I06 atrelatively slow speed. It will be understood that the air is thenexhausted through suitable openings I43 in the front of the housing in amanner similar to that described above in reference to Figure 2.Rotation of the drum I06 causes a tumbling action of the clothescontained therein. Due to the blast of warm air passing axially throughthe drum, the clothes are billowed and flufied as they fall from theside of the drum to the bottom during rotation.

While I have shown and described certain particular embodiments of myinvention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to belimited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore,contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications asfall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having a completely imperforate generally cylindrical wall. andhaving openings at both ends, said drum being rotatably mounted on saidframe, power means carried by said frame for rotating said drum, heatingmeans extending peripherally around and extending axially of at least aportion of said generally cylindrical wall, means supplying energy tothe heating means, a propelling means in proximity to one end of saiddrum for circulating air axially therethrough, and means for drivingsaid propelling means from said power means.

2. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a shaft mounted forrotation on said frame, a clothes receiving drum fixedly mounted on saidshaft in a cantilever fashion, said drum having a substantiallyimperforate peripheral surface and axially aligned openings at bothends, the axis of rotation of said drum being disposed at an obliqueangle to the horizontal, a casing surrounding said drum and having adoor therein opposite an end of said drum for depositing and removingclothes from said drum, said casing having openings therein oppositesaid openings in said drum, including openings in said door, so as toprovide a substantially unobstructed passage for air through said casingand drum, means including a rotatable propeller mounted on said shaftfor moving air axially through said drum to the atmosphere, means toheat said air prior to its discharge from said drum, and power meanscarried by said frame for rotating said shaft and said propeller.

3. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having openings at both ends, a driven shaft rotatably mounted onsaid frame and secured to and carrying said drum, means for rotatingsaid shaft, air heating means for heating the interior of said drum, anda propeller rotatably mounted on said driven shaft and arranged to causeair to pass axially through the openings in the drum while it isrotated, and means for rotating said drum and said propeller.

4. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having openings at both ends, a driven shaft rotatably mounted onsaid frame and secured to and carrying said drum, means for rotatingsaid shaft, air heating means for heating the interior of said drum, anda propeller rotatably mounted on said driven shaft and arranged to causeair to pass axially through the openings in the drum while it isrotated, rotating driving means, and power transmission means hetweensaid driving means and said drum and between said driving means and saidpropeller for rotating said drum at relatively slow speed and forrotating said propeller at relatively high speed.

5. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having a completely imperforate heat conducting generallycylindrical body portion and having openings only at the ends thereof,said drum being rotatably mounted on said frame, power means carried bysaid frame for rotating said drum, a heating element mounted on theexterior surface of said cylindrical body portion of said drum, meanssupplying energy to said heating element, an insulating coveringextending over said heating element and the peripheral surface of saiddrum for reducing heat radiation losses exteriorly of the drum, apropelling means in proximity to one end of said drum for circulatingair axially therethrough, and means for driving said propelling meansfrom said power means.

6. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having substantially axially aligned openings at the ends thereof,said drum being rotatably mounted on. said frame about an axis inclinedto the horizontal, means including a rotatable shaft for rotating saiddrum, a shroud covering said drum and said rotating means, said shroudhaving a sloping front wall portion lying in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the axis of rotation of said drum, said front wallportion having a clothes door therein for depositing and removingclothes from said drum, said shroud having openings 4 therein oppositethose in the ends of said drum,

said drum and through said shroud openings to the atmosphere, means toheat said air prior to its discharge from said drum, and power meanscarried on said-frame for rotating said shaft and said propeller.

'7. A clothes drier comprising a supporting frame, a clothes receivingdrum having axially aligned openings at the'ends thereof, said drum'being rotatably mounted on said frame about an axis inclined to thehorizontal, means for rotating said drum, a shroud covering said drumand said rotating means, saidshroud having a sloping front wall portionlying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation ofsaid CHARLES E. mononns'rnan. I

